Business machine support for desk drawers



Ngv. 2s, 1950 3 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Sept. 18, 1946 Nov. 28, 1950 c. M. ABRAHAMsoN BUSINESS MACHINE SUPPORT FOR DESK DRAWERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18, 1946 NOV- 28, 1950 c. M. ABRAHAMSON BUSINESS .MACHINE SUPPORT FOR DESK DRAWERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed sept. 18, 194e Patented Nov. 28, 1950 BUSINESS MACHINE SUPPORT FOR DESK DRAWERS Charles M. Abrahamson, Aurora, Ill., assigner to All-Steel Equipment Inc., a `corporadon of Illinois Application September 18, 1946, Serial No. 697,759

13 Claims. l

This invention relates to a drawer attachment .and more particularly to an attachmentmeans for readily converting a desk drawer into a suitable support for a typewriter or the like.

It is very convenient to be able to readily convert a general purpose oilice desk to one that may be used by a typist, and vice versa. In this way, large organizations may keep on hand a number of desks, and by a simple alteration adapt them for use either as a general office or junior executive desk, or as a stenographers desk.

The ordinary typewriter desk, having a disappearing typewriter support, does not adequately serve this purpose, because when used as a general ofce or junior executive desk, the typewriter occupies substantially one entire pedestal, and gives the desk only central drawer space. Conversely, a so-called executive type desk suitable for oice work not involving type ing or the line, if it is to be used for such work part of the time, should be provided with means for converting the desk into a form suitable for such use. My invention provides such a means.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved attachment means 'for readily converting a desk drawer into a suitable support for a typewriter or the like. Other objects of my invention are to provide such an attachment means wherein a platform, upon which a typewriter or the like can be placed, is supported by members attachable 'to the inside and outside of the drawer; wherein the platform supports over-lie the drawer front and engage both sides thereof; wherein the platform is additionally supported by a shield which also affords the t'ypist privacy; wherein the drawer, and hence the attachment, is retained against movement when the attachment is in use; wherein the attachment Ycan be quickly and easily connected to the drawer or disconnected therefrom, and when connected, blends har-- moniously with the appearance of the desk, and wherein the construction and installation of the attachment is such that the preponderance of `the load from the typewriter 1 or such placed' on the `platform is carried tothe desk base by the attachment and only a small portion is carried by the drawer proper.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed.`

description taken in conjunction with the attached `drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevational viewof a portion of adesk, including a desk pedestal. and showing my attachment connected to a desk drawer;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the desk portion shown in Fig. l, and shows the typewriter platform of the attachment being additionally supported by a shield member which is connected to the desk;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3`3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross `sectional view taken on `line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional View in part taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4, and sho-wing the means for retaining the desk drawer against movement when the attachment is connected thereto;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of the supporting shield member, with part omitted to reduce the height of the drawing,` taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective View taken from the `lett rear and looking down on the typewriter platform and supporting brace therefor.

The illustration in Fig. 1 of a left hand desk pedestal lil, as viewed from the front of the desk, shows a platform Il supported by a brace 29 which is attached to a desk drawer i3. Adjacent a side edge of the platform Il is connected a shield M which extends verticallydown ward from the platform and which is supported by a foot l5. The area of the shield lil and the extent o-f its `connection to the platform Il are illustrated in Fig. 2. Also, this figure shows that the platform ll extends forwardly of the desk, being at a lower level than the top I6 of the desk. While Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the plat form Il as being supported from a drawer in the left hand desk pedestal, it can be supported equally well .from a drawer in the right hand desk pedestal, in which case shield lll is attached to the opposite side of the platform il.

Details of the platform l! and the supporting structure therefor are best obtained from Figs. 3, 4, 5` and 8. The platform l! is a hollow panel structure of greater width than the drawer to which it is attached and is preferably made of light weight sheet metal. A top pan l'l, see 5, with a downturned ange I8 around the periphery thereof, is nested over a bottom pan i9 having an upturned flange 2l! around its periphery. The' `top pan Il has a shallow tray like depression. 'l throughout practically the entire top area of the pan and this depression is bordered by the rim .7l-bars 23 and 24 extendlougitudinally of the platform between pans l1 and I9, being in contact therewith, to strengthen the platform Il and prevent sagging of the top pan l1. The aforementioned Z-bars are preferably attached to bottom pan i9 by spot welds. Top 4flanges 25 and 26 of Z-bars 23 and 24 extend through the rear edge of platform Il, see Figs. 3 and 8, and appear as strap members 21 and 28.

Attached to the underside of platform il is a brace 29 tapered, as is illustrated in Fig. 4. Platform brace 29 is a shallow construction provided with a horizontal rlm flange 3, which is spot welded to the underside of platform Il, see Fig. 5. At the rear edge of platform l l, the body portion of brace 29 is flanged outward at 3l (Fig. 4) to retain an end plate 32 which is spaced from a Vertical line through the rear edge of platform il by a horizontal flange 33 and by the nested construction 34, which includes a flange 35 faced against the flange 3l, see Fig. 4. The plate 32 carries two nuts 36 and 31 which are supported by nut retainers 38 and 39 so that bolts can be threaded into them without having the nuts turn.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, a drawer guide 51 is attached to the side of drawer i3 and the drawer guide meshes within a guide track 58 which is attached to Zs 61 and-53 of desk pedestal le. A similar guide rail and tract: supm port the outer side of the drawer. Within the drawer i3, and detachably connectable thereto, is a channel-shaped retainer member, as viewed from above, see Fig. 3, made up of side plates 4G and 4I and the bridging front plate 42. Each of the side plates, which may be termed gusset plates, is formed in the same manner, the only difference being that the flanges of one are turned oppositely from the anges of the other so that, when the side plates are against the sides of the drawer, the side plate flanges extend inward toward the center of the drawer; i. e., the side plates face each other. The side plate Ill is illustrated in Fig. 4 as consisting of a flat body portion 4S having integral therewith and at right angles thereto the inturned flanges 43, 44 and 45. The upper corner of the side plate has a right angle notch at 66 to accommodate the drawer front top channel 41. When the side plate is positioned in the drawer, the body portion 46 lies against the inner side surface of the drawer and, through aligned openings in the drawer side, drawer guide, and the side plate, the bolts 46 and 49 detachably connect the side plate to the drawer, see Figs. 3, 4, and 6. Inturned hori zontal flange 44 lies against the bottom of the drawer and the front portion of the side plate lies under the front top channel 41 and the side plate flange 45 abuts against the bridging plate 42.

This latter mentioned plate is coextensive with the inner surface of the drawer front 550 and lies between this surface and the front flanges of the side plates, such as flange 45. These front flanges do not extend fully to the bottom of the side plates but, instead, are notched away suiciently to allow the bottom horizontal ange 5l of the bridging plate 42 to extend beneath them and rest upon the bottom horizontal flanges of the side plates. Thus, in Fig. 4, flange 5l extends beneath flange 45, andrests upon flange 44. The bridging plate/42 overlies the upper notched corners of the side plates, such as 66, and is formed thereto to accommodate the drawer front top channel 41. Thus, the bridging plate lies between notched out corners of the side plates and the drawer front top channel, and also has a flange 52 overlying the sloping top anges of the side plates, such as flange 43. The flange 52 extends from side plate to side plate across the width of the drawer and is located immediately to the rear of the drawer front top channel 41. Side plates 40 and il are spot welded to the front plate 42 to form a single load carrying member. Thus the end of top ilange 52 of front plate 42 is welded to the top ilange 43 of side plate 4l. Front flange 45 of side plate ll is welded to front plate 42, and bottom flange 44 of side plate 4l is welded to bottom flange 5l of end plate 42. Similarlyrside plate all is welded to end plate 42. Straps 21 and 23 are bent downwardly and are detachably connected to ange 52 by means such as bolts 53 and 54. A flanged channel stiifener 55 abuts against the inturned ilanges, such as 45, of the side plates, and is spot welded thereto. rihis channel stiffener extends horizontally from one side plate to the other and lies approximately midway of the height of the drawer front and adjacent to the rear of the bridging plate 42. The channel stiffener 55, the bridging plate 42 and the drawer front 5d all have a pair of aligned openings therein, said openings also being aligned with the threaded openings in nuts 35 and 3?, so that means such as bolt 55 can be inserted through the openings and threaded into the nuts 35 and 31 to secure the bridging plate 42, of the channel shaped retainer within the drawer, to the end plate 32 of the platform brace 29.

The construction thus far described is attached a desk drawer, such drawer I3, in the following manner. Initially, the drawer handle is removed from the drawer front and, in the construction which I prefer to use the drawer handle is retained by two bolts which, when removed, leave two openings in the drawer front. The positioning of the threaded opening in the nuts 35 and 31 and the openings in the bridg` ing plate 42 of the channel shaped retainer, which is positioned within the drawer, and also the openings in the channel stiffener 55, is such that these openings are aligned with the openings in the drawer front. Thus, it is possible to insert a bolt, such as the bolt 55, through the aligned openings and thread it into one of the nuts mounted on the end plate 32. The positioning of the openings in the various parts just referred to and the utilization of the openings through which the drawer handle retaining bolts extend, are not critical to the practice of my invention but instead, are illustrated merely as a preferred and convenient way to detachably connect the various parts without having the appearance of the drawer front marred by openings when the attachment is disconnected from the drawer and the drawer handle is on the drawer. Furthermore, utilization of the bolt openings for the drawer handle retaining bolts makes it unnecessary to provide additional openings in the drawer front 59.

In addition to removing the drawer handle, the inner liner, if any is provided, positioned at the rear of the drawer front; i. e., the liner which is spaced from the rear surface of the drawer front by flanges abutting thereagainst to com plete the drawer front thickness established by the drawer front top channel 41, is removed. In the usual metal desk drawer construction such a liner is provided and is often retained within the drawer by the bolts which hold the drawer handle onto the front of the drawer. Refer- 'the desk frame.

5. fennel. is. maden torthei .linerfm'erely because; if one i'sifpnmrded iti should: `be removed, .,sincet thel charrnel:` shaped` retainer forming :a @part or the attachment to be` added tothe drawer should un.- derlie theedrawer front. top channel '41..

After the drawer 'handle and the drawer front inner liner, if any, are removed the channel shaped retainer,. which consists ofthe sidefplates '40 and l and. thebridgingplate 42,.is.positioned within the drawer so that the bridging plate-42 abuts against the inner surface of theldrawer f'rontf50 and also abuts against the drawer front top channel 4l. Thuathe bridge platec42l: and portions oi" the side plates aand? :41, yincluding the side plate `front` flange such` as` ila-nge "45, underlie the drawer front top-channel 41. The side plates 40 and) 4i arel detachably connected to the sides of: the drawer andi drawer slides by means such as bolts 48' and 49.. thus nrmly retaining the channel-shaped retainer within the drawer and against the front interior `portion thereof'. For convenience of description I refer to this positioning as nesting the channelshaped retainer against the fron-t interior porvtion oi the drawer.

The platform vl! and its supporting brace `2c 'are then placed against the drawer frontv so that straps A231 and 28 overlie the drawer front 'top channell ET and flange 5ft of' the bridging.

plate 42 to allow lineans such as bolts l53? and 5ft to secure the strap members to the flanger 572. Also, the positioning' is such that the threaded openings in nuts T36' and 3l? are in line'with the openings in the drawer 'front Ell, the bridging plate l2 and the channel stifener '55 fte-fallow means such as bolt 5B to be passed through these openings and threaded into-nuts `351 and 3l to fasten the platform brace 29 securely against the drawer front 5e. Sliding of the drawer partially out of the desk allows `access to the inner ends of bolts 48 and 4S so that nuts and lock'- washers may be placed thereon and tightened securely. To avoid scratching of this `drawer front, the portions of the brace V23 and the platform Il which would tend tocontact the -drawer front have a thin rubber facing strip thereon which bears directly against the drawerfront.

When the drawer attachment is assembled Vas thus indicated, the `platform l l `extends forwardly of the drawer, being substantially flush with the drawer front top channel `il and is centered so that it extends across the drawer front and beyond each drawer side. The length and width of the platform il are optional, of course, but I find the proportions indicated in Fig. 3 to be satisfactory. The platform Il including the brace 23 is detachably fastened by bolts 53, 54, and 5E to the drawer inner liner made up `oi channel 55, end plate a2, and the two gusset plates sil and M, the latter two of which are in `turn detachably fastened by bolts d3 and it tothe drawer guides 5l, rneshed with drawer guide track 53, supported by the desk frame through. attachment 5to Z-bars t1 and 68 making up `a portion of said desir frame. Thus plafform l, together with any load that may be placed thereon, such as from the carrying of a typewriter or the like, is firmly supported from ried by the aforesaid supporting members, only a minor portion of the load is transmitted 'to 'the drawer andthe latter, if of light `construction, will not become distorted from overn stressing. There is sufficient clearance between the Idrawer front -top `channel 41 `and `the top Since the load is primari-ly car- I of the; drawerrfopening in `the desk sa` thatY the `drawer can be effectively closed even though straps 2.1 `and 28 overlie` the channelA 41.'.

To restrain the drawer against` outward movementi or tilting in the drawer guide tracks. when the typewriter supporting attachment is connected thereto and the drawer is closed, means are .provided toclamp. the drawer guides against the guide trackstherefor and thus prevent relative movement between these parts. `Such a means is illustrated in Figs. It and 6 where are shown a drawer guide 5l mounted on ra drawer side t5, a guide track 581. along `which the drawer guide 5l travels and a clamp 59. The guide track 5S has an opening :te therein through which extends an army `il of the clamp 59. Another arm 62 of the clarnp 15d extends beneath the guide track 6d and a screw E3 is threaded through the arm and abuts against the bottom surface of guide track 582 The arm 6.! of clamp da is shaped so that it bears. against a portion of drawer guide 5.7, as is illustrated in Fig. 6, and hence when the screw GS is tightened the arm 5l will force the drawer guide against the bottom portion 54 of the guide track to prevent movement of the drawerrguide alc-ng the guide track and also to prevent the drawer frorn tilting. Preferably, vsuch a clamping means isapplied at both sides of the drawer. The clamp 59 can be easily applied by merely removing the drawers under the drawer to which the typewriter sup'- port is attached, and then reaching into the pedestal interior and up along the sides of the drawer to which the typewriter supporting atn tachrnent is attached until the guide track opening, such as opening Et, is located. There is sufiicient space between the drawer guide tracks and the sides of the pedestal to enable the clamps to be applied as hasibeen indicated. For example, in Iig. it will be observed that the guide track EZB is spaced from the pedestal side 85 by the 'Z- bars Si and 28.

In addition to the parts thus far enumerated, a shield can also be used in connection therewith, if desired. Naturally, the shield, if extended to the hoor surface or is providzd with a leg as herein shown, will furnish additional support for thc typewriter platform l l. Details of the shield are best obtained from Figs. l, 2 and 7. Thus, in

2 it will be seen that the shield It has substantially the length of the platform l l and has a vertical height substantially equal to the` height of the pedestal body It. The front edge 5B of the shied is tapered inwardly from its connection to the underside of the platform H to the bottom edge lll of the shield. Likewise, the edge l! of the shield follows the taper of the front of pedestal lo and this shield edge abuts against the pedestal le adjacent the drawer openings. A strap retainer l2 is detachably ccnnectable tothe pedestal l t to hold the edge 'll rmly against the pedestal. From `Fig. '.7 it will be observed that the shield It is a hollow panel construction having spaced face panels t3 and I4.

The foot member l5 extends between the face panels 'ifi and la, and through the shield bottom lil. At its point of contact with the floor surface the foot member lli is provided with a rubber cap l5. Foot member l5 is adjustable vertically by virtue of its threaded connection to a retainer channel supported `between face plates E3 and Thus, the threaded extension it is threaded through channel plate 'l1 Vso that when the foot member i5 is turned it will be raised or lowered with respect to the bottom surface lil of the 'shieldf Of course vthe foot member extends through this bottom surface 'lli without being gripped thereby. The face plates 'i3 and 'i4 are provided with flanges i8 and 'i9 which contain openings aligned with threaded openings in the bottom pan i9 of platform li so that the shield lli can be detachably secured to the under surface of the platform il by means such as screws 89. The flanges 78 and 19 extend throughout the length of the shield I4 and abut against the underside of platform H throughout their length.

From the foregoing it will be seen that have provided. a readily attachable and detachable support for a typewriter or the like, which can be applied to a desk drawer. When the attachment is applied the desk drawer is converted into a suitable support for atypewriter or the like and the desk thus becomes useful for work involving typewriting or the like. The attachment firmly engages both sides of the drawer front and is securely fastened to the desk through connections to the drawer guides which mesh with the guide tracks on the desk. In addition, means are provided to prevent the drawer from moving or tilting when the attachment is in position and, if desired, a shield can be employed in connection with the rest of the attachment for greater snpport for the typewriter platform surface.

While l have described and illustrated embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to be restricted thereto, but I intend to cover all modifications thereof which come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

l. A drawer attachment for supporting a type writer or the like comprising a platform extending forwardly of said drawer, a retainer shaped to conform to the front interior portion of said drawer and detachably connected thereto, means connected to said platform and said retainer ,overlying the top of the drawer front and in contact therewith for anchoring said platform to said drawer, and a brace connected to said platform and detachably connected to said retainer.

2. A drawer attachment for supporting a typ-ewriter or the like comprising a platform positioned adjacent the top of said drawer and extending forwardly therefrom, said platform being of greater width than the drawer, a retainer shaped to conform to the front interior portion of said drawer and detachably connected thereto, means connected to said platform and said retainer and overlying the top of the drawer front and in contact therewith for anchoring said platform to said drawer, and a brace connected to said platform and detachably connected to said retainer.

3. AA drawer attachment for supporting a typewriter or the like comprising a platform positioned adjacent the top of said drawer and extending forwardly therefrom, said platform being of greater width than the drawer, a retainer shaped to conform to the front interior portion of said drawer and detachably connected thereto, straps projecting from said platform and overlying the top of the drawer front and in Contact therewith, said straps being connected to said retainer for anchoring said platform to said drawer, and a, brace connected to said platform and detachably connected to the front of said drawer.

4. A drawer attachment for supporting a typewriter or the like comprising a platform posi- -tioned adjacent the top of said drawer and exchannel-shaped retainer nested against the front tending forwardly therefrom, said platform being of greater width than the drawer, a retainer having side plates connected to the drawer sides inwardly of the front of said drawer, straps projecting from said platform and overlying the top of the drawer front and in contact therewith, said straps being connected to said retainer for anchoring said platform to said drawer, a brace connected to said platform, said brace having a portion substantially flush with the edge of the platform which is adjacent the drawer front, and means to detachably connect said portion of the brace to the front of the drawer.

5. A drawer attachment for supporting a typewriter or the like on a platform, a retainer having side plates attachable to the sides of the drawer inwardly of the front of said drawer, supporting means for said platform to overlie the drawer front and detachably engage said retainer, and means to detachably connect said supporting means to said drawer.

6. IThe combination with a desk having a drawer adjacent the top thereof, of a typewriter support connectable to said drawer, and comprising a platform extending forwardly of the drawer, means connected to said platform and overlying the top of the drawer front and in contact therewith, said means being connected to a interior portion of the drawerY and detachably connected thereto for anchoring said platform to said drawer, and a brace connected to said platform and detachably connected to said retainer by a means passing through the front of said drawer so as to clamp said retainer and brace on opposite sides of said drawer front.

7. The combination with a drawer, of an attachment for supporting a typewriter or the like, said attachment comprising a platform extending forwardly of said drawer, a brace connected to the underside of sai-d platform and also dpetachably connected to the drawer front, a channel-shaped retaining member nested against lthe front interior portion of said drawer, means overlying the drawer top and connecting said channel-shaped retaining member to the platform for anchoring said platform to said drawer, a shield connected to said platform and suspended therefrom, and a vertically adjustable leg member on said shield remote from said desk and providing floor support for said shield.

8. The combination with a drawenof an attachment for supporting a typewriter or the like, said attachment comprising a platform positioned adjacent the top of the drawer front and extending forwardly therefrom, said platform being of greater width than the drawer, a brace connected to the underside of said platform and also detachably connected to the drawer front, a channel-shaped retaining member nested against the front interior portion of said drawer, means overlying the drawer front top and connecting said channel-shaped retaining member to the platform for anchoring said platform to said drawer, and a shield connected to said platform, said shield having a vertically adjustable leg member cooperating with said shield to maintain the horizontal disposition of said platform.

9. The combination with a drawer, of an attachment for supporting a typewriter or the like, said attachment comprising a platform extending forwardly of said drawer, a brace connected to the underside of said platform and also detachably connected to the drawer front, a channel-shaped retaining member nested against the front interior portion of said drawer, means overlying the drawer top and connecting said channel-shaped retaining member to the platform for anchoring said platform to said drawer, and a shield connected to said platform, said shield having a vertically adjustable leg support cooperating with the shield to maintain the horizontal disposition of said platform.

10. The combination with a desk having a drawer adjacent the top thereof, and having a platform supported on and extending forwardly of said drawer, of a shield perpendicular to said platform and connected thereto adjacent an edge thereof, said shield including an adjustable foot adapted to cooperate with said drawer to maintain the horizontal disposition of said platform, and means to connect the shield to the desk.

11. For use with a desk having a drawer mounted therein by means of drawer guides on the sides of the drawer which engage guide tracks attached to the desk, a support for a typewriter and the like including a platform, a load-carrying means positionable adjacent to the inner front of the drawer and along the inner sides thereof, and means to detachably connect the load-carrying means to said platform and to said drawer guides.

12. For use with a desk having a drawer mounted therein by means of drawer guides on the sides of the drawer which engage guide tracks attached to the desk, a support for typewriters and the like including a platform and brace, a front retaining member positionable adjacent to 10 the inner side of the drawer front, and supporting members positionable adjacent to the inner sides of the drawer, said platform and brace being adapted to be detachably connected to .said

retaining member, said retaining member being connected to said supporting members, and said supporting' members being adapted to be detachably connected to said drawer guides.

13. The combination with a desk having drawers mounted therein by means of drawer guides and guide rails, of a support for a typewriter or the like, load-carrying means formed to be positioned within the desk drawer against the sides thereof, and means for detachably connecting said support to said load-carrying means, and said load-carrying means being detachably connected to said drawer guides.

CHARLES M. ABRAHAMSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,204,568 Harnesberger Nov. 4, 1916 1,887,102 Mathe NOV. 8, 1932 2,017,223 Verstraete Oct. 15, 1935 2,123,687 Wells July 12, 1938 2,324,247 Ullman July 13, 1943 2,370,372 Riggio Feb. 27, 1945 2,401,181 Paxton et al May 28, 1946 

